Spoons
by My-Own-Version
Summary: One-shot: Mid-season 10 - When Callen and Sam stumble upon a napping Neric, obviously awkwardness and verbal sparring ensues.


_A/N: Just a short throw-away one-off that insisted on being committed to "paper" and shared. Enjoy!_

 **Early Season 10 - Mid-case**

After Ops is potentially compromised, out of an abundance of caution, Eric and Nell retreat to the boatshed. They've spent the better part of a day and a half there supporting the field team and doing research with what tech they could scrounge before they fled.

After working into the wee hours, the field team hits a temporary dead end. They sack out in a safe house for a few hours of shut eye before the respective partners set out again.

At 4:48 a.m., Kensi and Deeks head off to LAX to pick up the elusive and reluctant last remaining witness to the kidnapping of a Marine with ties to DARPA and access to top secret information. The partners arrive with plenty of time before the witness' flight boards and wings its way to a country without extradition. After badging themselves through security, they take a seat at the flight's gate and sip on their respective coffees.

Meanwhile, Callen and Sam have just arrived at the boatshed. They enter quietly to find a dark and seemingly empty room and get cautious, but not quite to the point of unholstering their weapons.

Eric and Nell are finally spotted on the couch where they had intended to just to take a quick nap. They settled in at around 3:30 a.m., but fatigue leads Eric to set the alarm for 4:15 p.m. instead of a.m.

Callen and Sam barely stifle their snickers when they take in the spectacle of the spooning couple before them.

Eric is on his side facing the back of the couch. Nell is behind him, arms wrapped around his torso, her cheek nestled on his neck. Eric's knees are bent because his legs are too long for the couch's length and their calves are intertwined.

 _Sam laughing_ : "Making Nell be the big spoon? Really Eric?"

Eric and Nell wake with a start, unravel themselves, and scramble to a seated position on the couch.

 _Callen_ : "Well, it looks like we know who wears the "pants" in this relationship."

Nell rubs the sleep out of her eyes as Eric yawns.

 _Nell_ : "Come on guys. That's not fair."

 _Eric_ : "Yeah, I'm usually the big spoon, but this couch is just so short."

 _Nell_ : "Plus, I was the only one of us who got a chance to grab their service weapon before we left."

 _Callen_ : "Okay, I guess I can see how cuddling up to a gun in your gut wouldn't be very comfortable."

Nell runs a hand through her hair in an attempt to minimize her bed head.

 _Eric_ : "Exactly."

 _Sam_ : "But I gotta say, it looked pretty funny. Like a kid getting a piggyback ride."

 _Nell_ : "Seriously? A short joke? I expected more from you Sasquatch."

 _Sam_ : "Whoa."

 _Callen_ : "Listen. I'm already scarred enough by the things I've seen and heard in the last five minutes. Can we just get back to the case and move on to what you two've found?"

 _Eric_ : "Yes. Please."

 _Sam_ : "Okay, but I can't promise that Deeks won't have something to say when he hears about this."

 _Eric_ : "Ugh!"

Sam puts his hands up in defense.

 _Sam_ : "Hey, I just walked into the boatshed. You're the ones who gave me the ammo."

Eric and Nell shoot Sam withering looks.

 _Callen_ : "So, whaddaya got, Eric?"

Eric and Nell stand and give Callen and Sam an update on their research. Callen shares that Kensi and Deeks are at the airport picking up the witness any time now and their destination is likely the boatshed. Upon finishing their information exchange, agreeing on next steps, and exchanging their salutations, Sam starts to move toward the door. Eric surreptitiously asks Callen a question before he moves to follow his partner out the door.

 _Eric_ : "Um. You guys didn't take a picture, did you?"

Callen chuffs.

 _Callen_ : "Nooo. Who would do something like that?"

Callen turns and smirks a little while he catches up to his partner.

 _Eric_ : "Nobody. Nevermind."

Eric exhales deeply as Nell walks to him with the comms they had to resort to after leaving their bluetooths behind in Ops. Eric takes his comm from Nell and they each place them in their ears. Nell moves closer, places her hands on Eric's upper arms, and looks up into his eyes.

 _Nell_ : "I don't care what anyone else thinks. You can be my little spoon anytime you want."

Eric returns her smile and she stretches up to kiss him softly, but only for a few seconds before they mutually break the kiss and back away.

 _Deeks_ : "Hey guys. Sorry to interrupt, not really, but I need you to run a license plate number."

Eric and Nell's eyes widen momentarily before they shift their gazes away from each other and turn their attention back to their work.


End file.
